We have to start where we are, but we don’t have to stay there

Today, I took some time to reflect and went back to my first triathlon/Christian journal. Oh my, what did I find? I found that I started where I was as a triathlete and as a Christian! But, I didn’t stay there!

I read about my first timed 500 yard swim in February 2004. It was 20:15. Yes, you can laugh!! The past couple of years I have been typically swimming 1000 yards in 16:00-17:00 range – thanks to great coaching, stubborness on my part and the grace of God !

I read about the first time we tithed. We were seriously broke, in debt up to our eyeballs and about to close the gym we had opened less than a year beforehand. I wrote, ” I feel honestly sure that even though we are poor and don’t know how we’ll pay our bills, that we should tithe. God will help us meet our needs. I am now at the tip of the iceberg of understanding that all I have is not because of me, it is only because of God.”

I read about my first triathlon, the Central YMCA Indoor Triathlon in February 2004. My times were swim 13:35, bike 17:06 and run 15:21. I was last out of the water, third off the bike and second off the track in my heat. I wrote about my experience during the run, “I spent the first couple of laps stretching my legs and naively thinking that I’d catch my breath, but I didn’t.”

I was doing a workbook called Experiencing God and I wrote this, “This hearing God thing is a little confusing. I’m so used to hearing myself, it’s hard to hear others. Yuck. I hate this about me.”

I read about the shocking experience at my second triathlon, Emporia Spring Migration. I had a hideous swim, a solid bike and run and wrote, ” I had a ball. I love doing this. Guess what? I won first place in my age group out of 6, I placed 14/37 overall women. God made it all possible.”

In June of 2004, I was starting to understand a tiny bit about God’s will versus mine and I wrote, “Yesterday I learned a lesson. I learned that I will have to choose between what I want to do and what God wants me to do. Luckily this time, God closed a door and left me one option, to do what He wanted. If He hadn’t, I think I would have chosen what I wanted. I failed this test of my will over God’s. My prayer today, “God, help me to follow you one step at a time faithfully and to choose what you want for me.”

2004 was a long eight years ago, there have been many journals filled, much time training for triathlon and much time spent in God’s word and learning His ways. I started where I was and by the grace, power and love of God I am NOT who I was and even better than that, I’m not YET who I will be.

So, thinking about starting triathlon? Go for it! Thinking about a relationship with God? Go for it! Don’t let who you have been keep you from becoming all that you CAN be. If you have questions about either of these, I will do my best to help you out or point you in the right direction, just ask.

And remember, one step at a time, enjoy the journey and the process…

I was afraid to start looking at old journals. I didn’t want to see the “old” me…but instead, God is showing me what He has done and will continue to do.

“I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

Love this Kimberly! I have been known to toss an old journal because the ‘where I was’ part was too hard to swallow. I forget that I’m going somewhere – that is what has kept me in the pool and kept me on God’s path.
Such a great motivation to hear this morning – “don’t let who you’ve been keep you from who you CAN be!”
Thanks gal!